


Something Strange Happened Here

by MelfinaLupin



Category: Real Person Fiction, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blood, F/M, Horror, Thriller, Violence, ghost story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 20:13:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4759490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelfinaLupin/pseuds/MelfinaLupin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elise needs a break from her real life. With the help of a friend, she rents a house in Wales from a handsome, but reluctant landlord. The longer she lives there, the longer she starts to question if she’s really alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

A good-looking man was the last thing Elise needed at Knighton railway station. After a solid fifteen hours on the move all she wanted to find at the end of her journey across the pond was a hot shower to soothe her aching muscles and a comfy bed to sleep in. Of course she knew Gigi’s cousin was going to play chauffeur for the evening and give her lift to Presteigne, a village six miles south, but she’d been expecting a masculine version of her friend, not some broad shouldered giant clad in a pair of tattered jeans and a leather jacket. She prayed that towering stud wasn’t Tom. She dodged his piercing stare and shuffled past him, hoping to find another man waiting for her at the other end of the dreary platform though the light drizzle had driven most people inside.

“Elise Lanigan?”

She stopped dead in her tracks. Her stomach dropped to her feet when she heard her name drawn out in a thick accent. There was even a hint of a smile. Damn it. She was a good person. Her bills were paid on time, she always tipped 15%, and fed the stray animals behind her apartment complex so why was her karma so incredibly bad? She looked like crap, her smell was questionable, while her chauffeur turned out to be an incredibly handsome man. She was going to have a word with her dear friend Gigi.

She turned on her heels, grimacing a smile. Her smudged eyeliner and wrinkled clothes didn’t make the best first impression, but at least the fading light hid most of the damaged done. “Uh, yeah?”

An unexpected smile broke out across the man’s face. It was a surprised how much that changed him. Gone was the hostile line of his lips and the tightly clenched jaw muscles beneath the reddish scruff. She felt herself relax. It didn’t feel like she ought to run in the opposite direction now. The tall man took her bags while he introduced himself in that almost unintelligible burr that her brain was too tired to pick up. She stood there like a glassy eyed mannequin and hoped that Tom wasn’t offended or thought she was some lame-brained American. Which she wasn’t. She had a four year degree and considered herself to be a connoisseur of French wine, but a girl can only take so much in a twenty-four hour period. “I’m sure you’re exhausted,” he pressed on. His efficiency was commendable. “And the rain’s starting to pick up. Better come along, darling. Truck’s this way.”

Either his accent was butchering her name or she needed more than a nap to set her straight. She trailed after him and tried to keep up the best she could when the cramping in her right leg wasn’t slowing her down. Now she remembered why she didn’t like to travel.

The truck was an old, well-loved vehicle. It could have been a navy blue beneath all the mud, but she wasn’t sure. Gigi had mentioned Tom was a handyman by trade. If you can take it apart or put it together, it probably interested Tom. Recent events left a home empty in Presteigne and Tom with one more occupation to add to his resume: landlord.

Tom opened the passenger door for her and hoisted her inside the cabin like lifting an adult woman was no big deal. Elise told herself that would find the time to be properly embarrassed tomorrow. Right now sleep was her main priority. Her reserve of adrenaline and caffeine was almost tapped. God bless Gigi for meeting her at Cardiff airport during her lunch hour. The friends received other with hugs and kisses before Gigi pulled her to the closest café and supplied her with enough caffeine to last second leg of her journey. The petite blond had to rush back to work after she had gotten Elise situated at the railway station, and promised her several times that they would see each other over the weekend, before hurrying away with her heels tapping on the pavement to catch a train back to her office.

Elise leaned against the fraying upholstery of the door and made a pillow out of her arms. Her eyes drifted shut her eyes as Tom stored her luggage. She told herself she was going to rest her eyes for a moment, but she didn’t see much of what lay between the Knighton and Prestigne since she had fallen into a dead sleep by the time they were heading out of the station.

When Tom shook her awake, she woke with a start. He gave her a crooked grin, but was kind enough to keep his thoughts to himself. “We’re here,” he said, climbing out of the car.

She straightened up and quickly wiped the dribble of drool from the corner of her mouth. The cat nap cleared some of the fog in her head. Now the excitement she felt as she left the terminal in O’hare rallied as she peered through the rained beaded window to get her first real glimpse of her new home, a former coach house turned cottage set deep within sprawling gardens. She couldn’t see them now but she imagined they were overrun like they were in the photos Tom had emailed her before. She slid out of the truck. The ache in her leg flared up and she gave it a good stretch. She chucked it up to too much time spent sitting down.

“You know you don’t have to carry my things,” she pointed out as she followed him up the pathway. Were landlord’s always this helpful? “But thanks.”

“You’re quite welcome. Here, take my keys. The old brass one will open the door. Jiggle the handle a little. It’s rather tricky.” After a few tries, Elise finally let out a sigh of relief when the lock clicked and the door swung slowly inward. “I’ll change the lock in the morning.”

Elise flashed him an embarrassed smile. “Thanks. That would be great.”

She stepped inside, eager to get out of the wet and chilly night. There was a brief moment where she could only make out the outlines of old furniture from the moonlight floating in from the lacy curtains, before Tom flipped the lights on. It was dim, soft light from a solitary overhead light that flickered and hummed, and Elise felt immediately at ease. The front room was massive but cozy furniture, personal touches, and quaint keepsakes gave it a homey feeling. It definitely screamed of English countryside. She sniffed a fresh coat of paint in the air, and the hardwood floor glistened with polish.

She slowly walked around, inspecting the living room that would be hers for the summer.

“I took care of Old Dovie’s personal things. She didn’t have any family to see to it so Gigi thought it would be best to leave the furniture and everything else be,” Tom explained. “The kitchen’s a touch dated, but the appliances work well enough, as does the fireplace,” he added when she poked her head down to examine the cast iron fireplace. Living in apartments all her adult life she didn’t know the first thing about fireplaces except that they always seemed really charming when she saw them in magazines. “There’s some food in the fridge and the cupboard to get you by for a couple of days. Gigi even bought a coffee maker just you for.” That scored a genuine grin from Elise. Her friend knew her so well. “Ring me if you need anything. I’ll be hanging around, fixing things, but I’ll try to keep the noise down.”

Elise saw her chance and she took it. “You’re cutting me such a good deal,” she blurted out. “I told Gigi that I can to help with the renovations. I’m a decent painter, and I can sweep, and pull weeds. You know, help you out a little?”

Tom ducked his head, running a hand through his shorn curls. “Seeing as you’re a paying tenant, it doesn’t feel right to accept your help, but I appreciate the offer.”

Elise sighed, his lips screwing up to the side. Deflected just like before but she wasn’t ready to admit defeat. She had jumped at Gigi’s offer of living in Wales. It seemed like an adventure. After calculating the costs, Elise allowed herself the summer so she moved out of her apartment when her lease was up, stuck her belongings in storage, and hoarded money like crazy. Luckily she could still work as a freelance writer and editor for her stateside clients while she lived abroad. Elise planned to use the time in Presteigne to catch up with her friend but she also saw it as an opportunity to start on her next project: writing something of her own. But she was painfully aware that the Tom was undercharging her by a ridiculous amount, and that stung her pride. She wasn’t used to charity.

“Well, if walls start to get painted while you’re gone, you can just blame it on the ghosts.”

“I already do.” The somber tone in his voice caught her off guard, but he was pressing on before she could question his odd sense of humor. “Now are you quite keen about a second roommate? There haven’t been any inquiries yet, but I suspect a student might take up an offer for a cheap room once term’s over.”

“Yeah, of course. I told Gigi I didn’t mind.”

“Right. I’ll make sure it’s another woman. Now you’ve got a landline to use, but Old Dovie didn’t care much for the internet or cable, but I’ll be installing it this week for you. I figured you’ll need it since Gigi says you’re a writer.”

Elise pulled her eyes away from the porcelain figurines of fairies dancing along the mantelpiece enough to stare at Tom. “She kind of exaggerates.”

“She’s proud of you, and happy you’re here. But you’re tired and it’s late, Elise. Get some sleep.”  He left her house key on the end table and he headed towards the door. “I’m expecting a call from you soon. I’ll take you to Presteigne to get groceries. Have a good night.” He saw himself out with a nod and for a moment, Elise just stood there. The quiet was pervasive.  She left like she was five again and left alone in her grandmother’s house for the first time.

The discomfort didn’t last for very long. The sooner she got moving the sooner she could go to sleep. She told herself that she would admire her new place in the morning. Now it was time for some ibprophen and bed. She only grabbed what she needed from her bags and hobbled up one of the two twisting staircases flanking the fireplace to the second floor. Unlike the ground floor, this area needed some extra work. By the looks of the buckets of paint, tarps, and various other things lying about in the hallway Tom was already seeing to it, but the master bedroom made up prettily with a big bed to lure her in.

She ditched her wrinkled travel clothes for a pair of comfortable pajamas with a thick socks and a sweater. Why did the temperature feel so much cooler when it was dark and rainy? She made a mental note to buy some more sweaters in town. She gave her laptop a once over to make sure it survive the trip in one piece, and left the room to wash her face and teeth in the bathroom across the hallway. She didn’t want to admit it but she was kind of spooked being the only person in this unknown house, but it would be better in the morning. She could explore and get to know the layout, and everything would be fine.

She was puttering to a halt by the time she climbed into bed and shooting a quick text to Gigi.

_You’re in trouble._

_What did I do now?_

_You didn’t warn me about your cousin._

_Don’t you go and get all starry-eyed around him. He’s got enough of the local ladies chasing after him. How do you think he stays so fit?_

Elise giggled as she sat her phone aside for the night. Turning off the lamp plunged the room into darkness and Elise laid back, sinking into the plush mattress and pulled the duvet up to her nose. Lulled by the ticking of the dated clock and the warmth slowly enfolding her beneath the covers, her eyes soon began to grow heavy once more. She didn’t know what made her look towards the door. Something at the edge of her vision or the instinct to look up when someone was staring at you.

Something or someone was in the doorway. The moonlight in the hallway highlighted the thin silhouette. Icy alarm washed over her but in that moment Elise was glued to the bed, too frightened to make even a peep. The vision only lasted for a second before it disappeared. The fear didn’t fade so fast. She wanted to blame it on fatigue, on the grumblings of a reluctant landlord, but she slept with her door locked that night.


	2. Chapter Two

The shrill whistle of the electric kettle made Elise jump. She had forgotten all about the damned water. The scene outside the kitchen window was straight from one of those cheap harlequin books, but she was captivated nevertheless. She ought to be ashamed of herself.

Gigi barked with laughter. “A touch jumpy, aren’t we? What’re you looking at?”

“Nothing,” Elise snapped and left it at that. She wrenched the kettle from its base and poured the steaming water into the floral tea pot. She hoped her nonchalance would soothe Gigi’s curiosity, but inside she felt like her nan had just called her by her full Christian name for the first time for breaking a vase and hiding the evidence behind the couch. She willed the floor to open and gobble her up whole, but the faded linoleum didn’t budge.

For the first time since she arrived it wasn’t raining. The weepy clouds had scattered so Tom was hard at work in the garden. His leather jacket hung of a rotten post while he cleared the overgrowth in a white shirt, his jeans, and a pair of thick work gloves. Those glimpses of a straining bicep or an exposed belly and sometimes a clinched jaw kept her glued to the window. It probably wasn’t a good idea to ogle her landlord. He could kick her out of the house for sexual harassment. But logic was useless when Tom was properly sweaty and out of breath. His damn curls clung to his brow and he kept running the tip of his tongue over his lips while Elise’s brain rotted with one torrid thought after another.

Elise marched over to the kitchen table, ignoring the cousins, and slammed the pot down harder than necessary. The kitchen table was small and stuffed into the corner but somehow Gigi managed to jam their lunch as well as three place settings into the limited space. The tea and cold meat sandwiches as well as an assortment of biscuits and scones they bought at the bakery were all served with Old Dovie’s fine china. Elise was pretty sure the eating utensils were genuine silver too. It was extravagant and silly, but it was all she had to use.

Gigi tossed a curious glance out gently warped glass, arching an eyebrow arched when she saw her cousin. She tapped on the glass until she got Tom’s attention before motioning him to come inside for a cup of tea. The poor thing man had driven them to and from town that morning. Might as well as reward his saintly patience with lunch.

“Shopping takes a lot out of a girl,” Gigi blithely commented as she dropped into the seat beside her friend. “I’m quite starved.”

They spent the better part of the morning in Presteigne, wandering from one store to the next until their feet ached. As Elise’s wardrobe expanded, so did her familiarity with the village. Most of the townsfolk were pleasant and helpful to the incongruous visitor. Having Gigi’s around her didn’t hurt either. She was as cheerful as her polka dotted top.

“You can say that again.” Payment for her latest work had been deposited into her bank account that morning. While writing a college student’s thesis paper wasn’t exactly legal it meant that she could indulge in a pair of those stupid Hunter galoshes her friend always looked so cute in. Gigi disagreed with the color choice but Elise was a firm believer that black went with everything.

“Tom’ll be in shortly,” Gigi commented as she poured the tea like an expert hostess. She didn’t have any sisters, but they had known each other ever since Gigi studied in Chicago for a term so Elise considered her on honorary sister. She sure as hell acted like one right down to her calculated badgering.

Munching on a scone, Elise rolled her eyes. Gigi shot her a sickeningly sweet smile as she sipped her tea to wash it down. The lump in her throat caught her off guard. She cleared her throat, but something still felt stuck.  This is what happens when you wolf down your food, she told herself as she coughed. That only made things worse. A sharp inhale had her racking with fresh, louder coughs.

Gigi’s smile vanished from her face as she stared, horrified, at her friend. Worry clung to her voice. “Elise darling, are you all right?”

Elise doubled over. She couldn’t breathe. That’s when the panic set in, sending ice cold tendrils throughout her body. Her throat ached as her lungs burned. Black smudges crisscrossed in front of her watering eyes. Still she couldn’t clear her throat. When she thought she was about to black out, one final, desperate heave brought up a warm wetness, freeing her airway. She sucked in a deep greedy breath and tasted copper on her tongue. She looked down at her hands. There were hunks of clotted blood splattered across her palms.

“Elise? Elise!”

She shook her head to clear the drowsiness. Gigi stood beside her. The kettle hissed angrily, but Gigi ignored it. She gripped Elise’s arm, studying her friend’s face. Elise stared blankly back as if waking up from a deep sleep.

“Gigi, what’s the matter?”

“I was about to ask the same thing. You’ve been staring at the window for the past ten minutes. I couldn’t get your attention. It was like you zoned out for a moment.”

Elise swallowed hard. There was no pain. She could breathe just fine. The strangest thing was that she was standing at the window. They hadn’t even sat down yet. Had it all been part of some terrible nightmare?

She licked her lips and tasted the sweat collected on her upper brow. She checked her hands but saw no so sign of blood. “It’s nothing,” she murmured, trying to convince both of them. She wasn’t very convincing when she was shaking like a leaf. “Probably just some jetlag.”

Elise suddenly wanted to question her friend about that morning. How much had been real? It was as creepy as it was unsettling to wake up so disorientated. She stood there a moment longer, slowly gathering her wits. The more the fog vanished the more she remembered the day. Maybe her dream really was a byproduct of jetlag or the fact she had been sleeping like crap the last couple of nights. The nightlights Tom had installed at her request had done very little to ease her mind once the sun went down.

“You’re as white as a ghost,” Gigi said. “Come and have a cup of tea. Jetlag’s terrible. It always takes me a couple of days to get over it.”

Elise nodded and let her friend guide her to the table. The spell had passed as quickly as it had come, but she eagerly accepted the cup of earl grey and milk.

Gigi held up a plate of treats. “Do you want a scone? They might put some color back in your cheeks.”

Elise’s stomach knotted. “Not right now.”

Tom came in through the back door, ruddy checked and bright eyed. The wind had kicked up his hair bit. He pulled his gloves off and stomped the dirt out from the thread of his boots as he greeted them with a distracted, “Afternoon, ladies.”

“Worked up an appetite, did you? Come have a set, Tom. We’ve got tea, sandwiches, and baked goods.”

“Don’t mind if I do. Is everything all right there, Elise?”

She forced a smile. For once his good looks didn’t befuddle her wits. “Yeah. Just a little tired, is all.”

Elise kept mostly to herself through lunch but by the time it was over she had to admit she was feeling more like herself. The three cups of tea definitely settled her nerves. She told herself to forget the odd incident.

The girls retreated to Elise’s bedroom to catch up. All her brand new clothes were still stowed inside the shopping bags. They had been too hungry to unpack anything and dumped everything on the bed in one massive heap.

“I bought more than I planned to,” Elise admitted as she surveyed the mound. Luckily everything managed to fit inside Tom’s cabin so she didn’t have to return anything. She shot Gigi a mean look. “You’re such a bad influence.”

“Now if only I could get you to experiment with some color. You would look fetching in pink.”

“I don’t think so.”

Gigi stuck out her bottom lip.

The two were an unlikely duo. Gigi wore her curls short and dressed her petite frame in chicly while Elise had given up the idea of fitting in. Working at home meant comfortable clothes, flats, and a head full of hair that hadn’t seen a stylist in a couple of months. The girls shared the same passion for writing, a passion that united them in college. They just went about it in different ways.

“It’s like Christmas all over again,” Gigi giggled as she gently comb through the pink tissue paper inside one of the prettier bags.

“I needed some things.”

“Some things?” Gigi echoed coyly as she help up a tiny pair of panties caught on the edge of her fingertip.

Elise grabbed at them.“Yes. Things.” Pretty girly things just in case she needed them. She’d rather not be caught in her plain boring underwear if she could help it. Tom was a bit of a flirt, and Elise liked to think he was genuine.

“It’s cute is all my trying to say! Did you get the matching bra?”

“Of course.”

Gigi squeaked with excitement as she raided the bag. “It’s so gorgeous. I love the lace. Hold it up so I can see it all together.”

Elise laughed and gave in, holding the set of the overpriced set of nearly transparent lace up against her body for Gigi’s approval. Tom didn’t even knock when he entered. To be fair the door wasn’t shut all the way, but when their eyes met, Tom stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes grew wide and slowly, very slowly, they dropped down and stayed there. Elise quickly hid the delicate lingerie behind her back.

“Did you need something, Tom?”

It looked like he had been hit by lightning. He blinked a couple of times and tried to talk but nothing came out except for a strained rasp. “I, uh, just want to talk. With you,” he clarified, shooting a look toward Gigi. “Out in the corridor. Won’t take very long.”

She was going to be the picture of calm even if it killed her. They stood in the hallway, too embarrassed to speak. She didn’t want to think too hard that Tom liked what he’d seen in the bedroom but she couldn’t help it.

“So what did you want to talk about?”

“I’ve been thinking about these lights I put in the corridor for you. I know you’re still getting used to the place. What if I installed brighter ones?”

Now she went from being embarrassed to being mortified. Tom hadn’t batted an eye when she had asked him to get some nightlights as if it was perfectly natural for a grown woman to be afraid of the dark.

“Look, don’t go through the trouble, ok? I’m fine.”

“It wouldn’t be any trouble.”

She sighed heavily. She really didn’t want to lie to him anymore. “I know I told you I was scared of the dark and that’s why I wanted the light, but that’s not the whole truth. I saw someone, Tom.”

Tom’s brow puckered. “Where?”

“Here. The first night I was here. I was lying down in bed and for whatever reason I looked towards the door, and I saw someone.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” The handsome landlord suddenly transformed into the grim stranger she had met on the platform.

“Because I only saw them for a moment before they vanished. I’m not even sure if what I saw was real anymore.”

“Elise, you’ve got no neighbor for miles. If you think you see someone or hear someone in this house, you need to call me. I don’t care what time it is. Call me and I’ll be right over.”

“To chase away the ghosts?”

“Intruders, thieves, but I can probably manage a ghost or two.” A smile slowly softened his features. “I’m worried about you being alone up here.”

It warmed her heart to hear him say that. “I’ll be fine. The nightlights were a good touch.”

“Good to hear. Now get on back to whatever female ritual you having going on in there,” Tom said with a grin. “I don’t want to eat up all your time with Gigi.”

Tom turned to leave but he paused when Elise spoke up, “I’ve been thinking about Old Dovie. You seemed to have had a pretty close relationship with her.”

“Yeah, you could say that. I took care of her the last couple of years like she was my own grandmother. I took her shopping, to church on Sundays, anywhere old maids want to spend their time. I figure that’s why she left me her home after she passed since she didn’t have any family.”

“How did she pass away? Old age?”

“No, that would have been a blessing,” he replied quietly. “The poor woman had a massive pulmonary embolism and died right here in this house.”


	3. Chapter Three

Gigi left Sunday, back to her hustle and bustle life in Cardiff. Levelheaded and pragmatic Elise was halfway tempted to beg her friend to stay one more night. The freaky hallucinations and the feeling of being watched was enough to make anyone swallow their pride. With Gigi by her side she didn’t feel as scared and vulnerable living in that big old house in the middle of nowhere. Laughter, girl talk, and many bottles of wine chased away any creeping suspicions Elise had about the house that weekend, but in the violet dusk the home once more looked dark and foreboding.

She sat in the cabin of Tom’s truck, her stomach knotted with dread. The adult part of her brain bickered at the infantile fear that reared its head after two quiet days. She clutched the door handle, mindlessly worrying her bottom lip, but was in no hurry to get out. She eyed the dark sockets of windows and the tangle of weeds in the front garden. The house looked abandoned. Ensconced between fields and pushed far from the rarely traveled road, she began to wonder how many people knew it was even here.

“Are you getting out, darling?” Tom, with a warm, teasing smile in his voice, watched her. Her sullen mood hadn’t even registered with him.

Elise took her hand of the door and settled back onto the tattered seat. “Was Old Dovie a nice woman?”

The question caught Tom off guard. “Yes, of course. A sweetheart, why?”

“Do you think she would mind some American living in her home?”

“Nah,” he replied, tugging on his ear. He glanced at the house, considering the façade like Elise had done moments ago. “Don’t get me wrong she loved her home, but she knew when she willed it to me that I already had a place in town, and that I would rent her home out. She just wanted her home to be taken care of, to be looked after, when she passed.”

That was not the answers Elise was hoping for. She needed something to explain her experiences this past week even if she had to resort to a paranormal explanation in order to get some answers.

Tom sighed and turned off his truck and switched the overhead light on. His eyes were serious, his mouth a thin line again, when he asked, “What’s the matter, Elise? Why do you look so worried? Gigi said she will be back next Saturday.”

“I know. It’s just that,”  _I’m scared out of my wits to be here by myself. I think a ghost of an old woman is trying to scare me out of the home and I don’t know why,_  “I think this house is haunted.”

He stared at her a moment, dead serious, and she thought her ridiculous allegation won him over when he tossed his head back and roared with laughter. The back of her hand quickly found its way to his arm. The slap was audible. It sobered him up but Tom, rosy checked, still trembled with giggles. Elise’s face got real hot real fast. She considered slapping him again only this time in his pretty face. “You’re such jerk. I’m serious!”

His sea green eyes sparkled as he grinned at her. “You’ve an odd way of asking me to spend the night, darling.”

His cheekiness earned him a second slap. “Excuse me? Look me in the eye and tell me out of all the times you’ve been out here, completely alone, and you never once had a creepy feeling of someone watching you.”

Tom shut up real fast. He looked at her and then back to the house. Silence rang in the cabin as he took the time to really examine the dark house burrowed within the thorny garden.

“It’s an old house, Elise,” he finally admitted. “Old houses are creepy especially at night. But listen, darling, Dovie was an absolute sweetheart. She was one of those ladies that still paid morning calls and baked pies on Sunday. She didn’t have one mean bone in her body. I know she would have liked you very much and would have invited you over for tea if she knew you.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. “It’s a lonely house, in the middle of a dark countryside. You’ve got no neighbors. No street lights. It’s bloody rural, but there’s nothing to be scared of.”

She wasn’t convinced but after his snotty little comment she wasn’t too keen on staying in the cabin with Tom either. “Fine. Good night.” She turned to hop out but Tom caught her elbow.

“You’re upset. I’m sorry. As your landlord I need to be as concerned as you are, and I ought to take your concerns seriously no matter how strange they might be. Do you want me to go inside with you and take a look around?”

Elise softened. “That would be great. Thanks.”

As if to make amends for his earlier lack of tact, Tom was the first one to enter the darkened house and offered to build a fire in the main room. She let him fiddle of the tinder and headed towards the kitchen in a huff. There was still an unopened bottle of pinot noir. If she was going to be alone tonight she would do so drunk. A drunk Elise was a sleepy Elise.  By the time she returned with the bottle and glass tumbler, Tom already had a tiny fire going. She flopped in the sofa and watched him feed the fire until it was nice and healthy. He sat back to admire his work, ran his hands along his thighs to clean off the debris, and pulled the metal screen across the fireplace. Elise had to admit the fire made the atmosphere a lot more welcoming.

“There,” he sighed, climbing to his feet, “That’ll burn for a while. Are you not going to offer me any, darling?”

Elise took a slow sip of wine. “You’re not staying,” she pointed out. If she sounded petulant she wasn’t in the mood to fix it. “Don’t want you to drink and drive tonight. That would be very unsafe.”

He cracked a smile. “Stay put. I’ll check upstairs.”

Like she wanted to move anyway. She drank the heady wine and watched the fire crackle merrily. It was charming and cozy and Elise wished she could just unwind and enjoy the peace but it was hard to forget everything she had experienced within the cottage. The old wood of the stairs groaned as Tom came back downstairs a few minutes later.

“Every window’s locked tight,” he announced. “I check all the rooms, closets, and the bathroom, and didn’t find a soul.”

Elise sighed and muttered her thanks. She hadn’t expected Tom to find anything anyway but it was nice of him to check out the house if only to appease her infantile fear. He left again to check the kitchen. She figured he wanted to check the rickety back door but instead came back with his own glass. He dropped onto the sofa beside her and poured himself a healthy amount of wine.

“Do you really want me to stay, darling?”

“Yes, please.”

“All right then.” He clanked their glasses together. “Cheers.”

 

Morning dawned bright and sunny, and despite their odd sleeping arrangement on the couch, Elise felt like she had the best sleep of her life. There were no bad dreams or strange sounds to make her uneasy or restless. The wine and the happy little fire soothed her and Tom held her throughout the night beneath the throw so tightly that she couldn’t help but feel very safe and protected. They chuckled as they got up. Their entwined limbs and morning breathe made them sheepish. Bleary eyed and stubbly, Tom made a joke about not wanting to get up but he needed to pee. Elise smiled and carefully rolled off the couch. She took the glasses and the empty bottle of wine to the kitchen, floating in sleepy haze of peace.

Morning light streamed into the cottage through the white lace curtains, warming the place up and dissolving all the odd feelings of apprehension the night before. Now her home seemed like a sweet little retreat from the world, cozy and quiet. There was nothing to be afraid of except a random bug that wandered in from outside and the antiquated plumbing and lack of a dish washer. She hadn’t felt this at ease since she arrived in Presteigne. It felt great. Maybe jet lag was the reason she had been feeling so out of sorts.

She went back into the living room as Tom jaunted downstairs. He had washed up in the bathroom. He pulled his coat and boots on. “I hate to do this, Elise, but I got to run.”

“I can make you some breakfast before you go,” she offered. It was only right, right? She didn’t know the etiquette for this type of situation. A night of sex with a semi-stranger involved a quick goodbye if that. A night of no sex with her handsome landlord should involve some type of breakfast, right? Gigi has stocked her pantry with tea and she had a loaf of bread she could toast and eggs to fry.

“No time. I should have been over at Terry’s place half an hour ago. I told him I would look at his fridge. It’s been throwing a tantrum the past five years, but the man doesn’t want to break down and buy a new one.”

“That’s some tantrum.”

“Yeah, tell me about out. I’ve a mind to take a hammer to it one of these days.”

Elise laughed. “You better get going, Tom, but thanks for staying the night. It was really,” she paused, trying to think of the right word, “sweet.”

“Any time, darling.” She walked him to the door and Tom stooped down to press a kiss against the corner of her cheek like it was second nature. Like some giddy teenager she swallowed her grin. “I’ll ring you later.”

She could have stayed at the door, peeking out into her little corner of the world, long after Tom’s truck had pulled out of the driveway, but she shook herself from the starry-eyed stupor he had left her in. Coffee was in order, and then some aspirin to calm the old ache in her leg, and finally some work. She had barely touched her laptop all week and no doubt her work was piling up.

She whistled some random tune as she turned and walked back into the kitchen. She came to a halt in the doorway, the song dying on her lips. The dread from last night appeared. Her throat constricted. “Oh no,” she whimpered, shaking her head and staring. “No, no, no, no.”

She retreated, walking to and fro in the living room, ‘no’ a mantra reverberated in her head. Shock numbed her to the core, kept her from losing it, and had her returning to the kitchen to make sure her eyes hadn’t been playing tricks on her. They hadn’t. Every single door stood wide open from the cabinets to the refrigerator and stove. Nothing else had been touched. Nothing had made a sound but she suddenly realized her sense of peace was completely artificial.

Tears stung her eyes. Enough was enough. “Why are you doing this?” She didn’t care that there was no one there to hear her. _Something was in this house._  Something knew Tom was gone and that she was alone and vulnerable. “Stop it! Just stop! I’ve had enough!!”

She turned and fled upstairs. She grabbed her laptop, her cell phone, and ran outside. She couldn’t get out fast enough. She sat there on the back stoop, shaking and crying. She desperately wanted to call Tom but couldn’t get herself to dial his number without debilitating doubt gnawing at her. What would he think if she called him in hysterics after he just left her? He would think she was legitimately mad. That wasn’t exactly an attractive quality. No doubt he wouldn’t believe her if she did call him anyway. She couldn’t call Gigi either. Her friend was at work and in no position to help her.

When her tears began to run dry she opened her laptop, furiously throwing herself into her work. She was right. Work had piled up. The number of unanswered emails was staggering. She shot several apologetic emails to various clients informing them how difficult it had been getting access to the internet in such a remote location before ruthlessly chopping up word documents they are sent her to review. She was known to be a ruthless editor but now fear made her brutal. She stayed out at for as long as she could until her bladder was screaming at her. It was just before noon when she called it quits and slammed her computer close.

She couldn’t stay away from the house forever. She was hungry, thirsty, and needed to pee. She returned, pausing just inside the back door. The kitchen was normal again but that was the least of her worries. Above her the ceiling was creaking as if someone was moving around upstairs. She didn’t expect the creaking to continue turn the stairs. It didn’t sound like Tom’s heavy footfalls. It was quick and light with a definite clack of tiny heels. Fear turned into confusion. The footfalls were in the living room and rounded the corner quickly. Whoever it was was coming into the kitchen. Elise held her breath and stepped back against the door. There was no time to run or to scream. seconds later she came face to face with the intruder.

It was another woman, a true flesh and blood woman with brown hair that waved down to her shoulders and bright cherry lipstick that matched her heels. Her smile was the brightest thing Elise had ever seen.

“Good afternoon. I saw you out there all morning but I didn’t want to disturb you. It looked like you were in the middle of work.”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah I was,” Elise muttered. Her fleeing fear left her sagging with relief. She felt like a sack of potatoes compared to this woman. She was absolutely flawless and dressed in modest blue frock. And there Elise stood, mute and confused, still dressed in the things she had worn the day before with her teeth or hair unbrushed.

“I’ve been settling in all morning. I’m your new roommate.” She noticed Elise’s frown and asked if Tom had mention her at all. Elise shook her head, still staring like a dummy. “Figures. That man is so busy that I’m not surprised.” She crossed the kitchen and held out her hand. Elise saw that even her nails were painted the same shade of red. “My name’s Helen. It’s so good to finally meet you, Elise.”


	4. Chapter 4

All Elise needed was a distraction, and Helen and her knack for baking fit the bill perfectly. The day was a quiet one, and Elise was looking forward to another restful night as she climbed into bed. She couldn’t have been happier. By the time the girls sat down for afternoon tea, the disturbance in the kitchen had been shoved into the darkest corner of Elise’s mind. No longer alone in the cottage, Elise was confident the weirdness would stop.

But Tom could have at least mentioned Helen sometime during the night they had spent together. It would’ve saved her a lot of time spent worrying.  

Helen was amazing; she was kind and sweet and worked magic in the kitchen. Elise never bothered to cook much more than spaghetti. Living in Chicago she had a plethora of fine restaurants and greasy take-out places to choose from. She could tell she needed to be more careful around Helen’s cakes. She hadn’t meant to eat three pieces of Victoria sponge cake, but it was so good she couldn’t resist. Helen just laughed and told her to take as much as she wanted.   
This is how vacations ought to be. 

_Carefree with nothing to worry about but the things I eat._

She wondered if the isolated location subconsciously messed with her mind. She never lived outside a big city before. Whatever the case may be – loneliness, jet lag, a new environment - she never wanted to think about her first week in the cottage again. 

Her lamp still burned, casting long shadows about the room. Helen’s music floated down the hallway from her room. It was big band music playing on a vintage record player the two had found in the attic. She had picked the second largest room and Elise helped settle in and did her best to make her feel welcomed. Helen didn’t have much, just a couple of leather suitcases full of clothes, books, and records. She was on break from the university and simply put just needed to place to stay for the summer. 

Elise liked whatever it was she was hearing. It was slow and jazzy, barely audible as it wafted into her room. It made her eyelids heavy as she soothed the ache from her leg. The aspirin had yet to kick in. Tomorrow she would go out and buy something a little stronger. She didn’t think she accidentally hurt herself before the plane ride but her shin ached as if she had ran into something. One spot in particular felt swollen, but the light wasn’t that bright so Elise told herself she would have closer look in the morning.

“Are you all right?”

Elise looked up. Helen stood in the doorway, her white nightgown fluttering around her ankles. 

“Yeah, why?”

“It looks like your leg’s giving your some trouble. I noticed you were favoring the other one when you helped me unpack today too. Did you end up hurting yourself?”

“If I did I can’t remember how. It’s probably just a bug bite.”

Helen nodded but the worry in her big doe eyes didn’t fade. “Well, I’m off to bed. Have a good night, Elise.”

“You too. See you in the morning.”

The room plunged into darkness as soon as Elise turned the lamp off. This sort of darkness something she would never get used to. It was never this dark back home. Slinking down into the cozy sheets, she sighed as her eyelids drifted shut. Nighttime crickets and birds sounds crept into the bedroom through open windows and a cooling breeze fluttered the lacy curtains. Sleeping with the windows open was another new experience. Sleeping wouldn’t be an option if she kept the windows open in her Chicago apartment. There was always someone fighting or a car alarm blaring or police sirens going off every other goddamn minute.  Now that she didn’t have anything to worry about, she allowed herself to relax and enjoy the nighttime of the Welsh countryside.

She was disoriented the next time she opened her eyes. A thick fog clogged her brain as she stared out into the darkness. It completely silent now, but the tranquility was gone; It was kind of dead silence that sent chills down her spine at the mere thought of the bad thing looming just around the corner or under her bed.

What had woken her up?  Creaking floorboards caught her attention. Her head snapped towards the door. It was wide open and in the gaping mouth of the opening stood a dark silhouette.

Bleary eyed, Elise pushed herself to her elbows. “Helen? Helen, is that you?”  
There was no answer. 

“Helen, did you have a bad dream?” 

Before Elise had a chance to scream it rushed towards her. A shriveled hand reached out and wrapped long bony fingers around her leg, dragging her down the bed. Shock made fighting back impossible. 

The pale moonlight fell across her attacker’s face, lighting up her features. An elderly woman with a deeply wrinkled face and sunken eyes loomed above her, shrunken and humped back.

A miserable “Please, stop,” was the only plea she could get out before the pain started.

She felt it in her leg first and then it quickly spread to every fiber of her being until she was screaming. Pleading for mercy with a hoarse voice fell onto deaf ears as one of the old woman’s sharp nails pierced her skin. They pressed further inside her leg. Muscles and fat split until Elise could feel the woman stab her tibia. Blood poured out like a river, running down her leg to stain the sheets Elise gripped tight.

She woke up on the floor, buried in tousled sheets, sweaty and sobbing for breath. She wasn’t alone. Helen was there. Helen held her, brushed the damp hair away from her forehead, and spoke to her calmly like a mother soothing her frightened child. But it was no use. Elise couldn’t understand what she saying over the thick fog in her mind and her ragged breathing. She felt sick, nauseous and hot all at once. She knew she was scared and that she had to get away, but she was shaking like a leaf. 

The lamp was back on. Elise searched for her but that horrible woman was nowhere to be seen. The pain in her leg was still there, however, and it was unbearable.

“You’re burning up,” was the first thing she could understand. “We need to get you to the hospital. I’ll call Tom. He can take you in his truck.” 

Helen left her to use the landline. Elise crumpled to the ground, hot tears flowing from her eyes. The fear of the nightmare was still all too real. Soon Helen returned. She grabbed her hand and held it tight. “It’s going to be all right, Elise,” she cooed gently, soothing away her tears. “Tom’s on his way. Don’t worry; Now that I’m here, I won’t anything happen to you, my dear.”

 

* * *

 

It was a blood clot. An emergency ultrasound and STAT blood tests revealed that Elise had a deep vein thrombosis in her leg, exactly where it had been aching for the past week. Both Tom and Elise stared at the balding doctor as he delivered the news. Heparin administered through the IV plus a couple of months of anticoagulants should help her feel better. 

  
“Of course this is an extremely uncommon case given your age,” he explained. “With no familial history of blood disorders, I suspect this clot developed in the States somehow and the plane flight over only aggravated it. The good news is that we’ve found it in time so I don’t think surgery will be necessary.”

“Good. Great,” Elise murmured, nodding her head. She was so stunned that was the only thing she could do. “Thank you, doctor.”

She fell back against the pillows. She was haggard after the long night being poked and prodded at Knighton Hospital, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be relieved. A regiment of blood thinners was preferable to a stroke or, as the doctor had grimly put it, an early death by pulmonary embolism. 

That rang a bell, but Elise was so tired she couldn’t remember why that phrase sounded so familiar. She glanced at Tom. He had been by her side the entire time, running off nothing much adrenaline and coffee. She wasn’t too keen on that dark expression of his as he sat slumped in the bedside chair.

“It’s a good thing Helen called you,” she said lightly, forcing a smile, when they were finally alone. 

His trouble eyes meet hers. “Who’s Helen?”

She wondered if she might be going deaf for a moment. “Helen,” she repeated. “My roommate. She moved in yesterday.”

Tom shook his head. “You don’t have a roommate, Elise. No one’s answered my post about it. And the woman who called me, she said her name was Dovie.”

A giggle gurgled in her throat. “Don’t play games with me, Tom. I’m not in the mood.”

“I’m not. Old Dovie’s real name was Helen Dovison.”

Suddenly everything from the hallucinations to the nightmare made sense. “She was warning me.” Her voice was small, fragile, hard to be heard over the steadily beeping machines. “She wasn’t trying to scare me. She was trying to save me.”

The End


End file.
